How to reach Milan and get around

Milan is very convenient to reach by any means of transport. Because Milan is the junction point between North and South Italy, but also one of the most important inland cities of the Old Continent. From here you can travel to and from any Eastern European country, cold land of Northern Europe, from Germany to the Scandinavian regions, but also the warmest Latin countries like France and Spain.

Italy’s biggest metropolis is also just a city. Of course, a city of a million and a half people in the center of a metropolitan area of other 7.5 million people, but on closer look it’s also relatively small.

The outer ring road is less than 15 Km long, the diameters east-west and north-south do not exceed 5 km. This means that at a good pace you can start from Piazzale Lodi and reach Piazzale Firenze in just over an hour. The historical centre of Milan is entirely walkable on foot, despite being well served by public transports like buses, trams and metros.

If you wish to know how to reach Milan, you’re in the right place, this page is for you. So you won’t run the risk of getting lost.

Milan by car

Milan is reachable by car from the A1 motorway Florence-Bologna, driving on the A7 from Genoa, on the A4 from Turin-Venice, and the A8 motorway Autostrada dei Laghi. Some large subway stations of Milan, usually those close to the highway exits (Cologno Nord and Famagosta, Abbiategrasso and Assago on the Green Line, Sesto 1° Maggio, Lampugnano, Rho-Pero and Bisceglie for the Red Line, San Donato and Comasina for the Yellow Line) feature large car parks available for guests arriving from the hinterland cities.

Milan by train

If you get to Milan by train you will find yourself right in the heart of the city, just a few minutes by bus or metro from the main places of tourist interest. Central Station is served by trains that arrive and depart towards all of Europe and Italy. Porta Garibaldi Station is mainly served by trains from major Italian cities, but also by TGV trains from Paris Gare de Lyon. Cadorna station is used by those travelling to/from Saronno, Novara, Como and Asso. From Milan Lambrate Station, regional and interregional trains arrive from and depart towards Piacenza, Voghera and other railway stations in Milan. From Cadorna, Garibaldi and Central train stations you can catch the buses leading to Milan airports: Malpensa, Linate and Orio al Serio.

Milan by plane

The three city airports Malpensa, Linate and Orio al Serio, allow visitors to reach Milan from any part of the world. The airports are linked to the train stations by shuttle bus services: Malpensa airport is about 45 minutes away from Central Station, less than 20 minutes from Linate, 40 minutes from Orio al Serio. The latter is the hub of low-cost flights, operated especially by Ryan Air planes, while the other two airports are reserved for big airlines, including Air France, KLM, British Airways, Lufthansa, Iberia. Malpensa, however, has a much higher traffic, about 20 million passengers per year, while Milan Linate has a passenger traffic of “only” 9 million people per year.

Milan by metro

Milan’s public transport network is really widespread. The 3 metro lines, which will soon become 4 in view of Expo2015, run across the city and intersect at several stations: Loreto (lines 1 and 2), Central (lines 2 and 3), Duomo (lines 1 and 3), Cadorna (lines 1 and 2). There are almost a hundred metro stops that reach also other cities around Milan hinterland, as Cologno Monzese, San Donato, Sesto San Giovanni, Abbiategrasso, Assago and up to Rho-Pero Fieramilano. The city is also served by a thick network of buses and trams.

Resources for Travelers

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